About

The Pacific Ocean covers half the planet. To the west, there is Asia. To the east, the Americas.

Americans are the Easterners; Asians the Westerners. Europe came up with the idea that Asia — to the west — was the Far East. That idea should have sunk into history when Columbus collided with North America, but it has persisted.

Nishiryu, by the way, means Western Dragon.

This site is a collection of miscellanea on history, photography, and popular computing by Lawrence I. Charters and Dr. Kathleen G. Charters.

Western Pacific dragons and other real creatures

About the banner

The legislative branch is undergoing some much-needed patching. To the right you can see the very tip-top of the Jefferson Building, part of the Library of Congress, behind the Capitol. Legislatives rarely go there.